Students

GEN 210 – Reading Gender in Everyday Life

2015 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor
Judy Lattas
Contact via 98507947
W6A831
Wednesday 2:15-4pm
Tutor
Katharine Hawkins
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tba
tba
Tutor
Emily Cachia
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Beth Saunders
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
12cp or admission to GDipArts
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit examines how gender functions in our day-to-day lives. We look closely at common activities like shopping, eating, grooming, talking, reading, going to the movies, using cosmetic surgery, getting married and more, to examine some of the discourses – biological, cultural, social, anthropological – that reproduce ideas of masculinity and femininity, of being a man or woman. We look at intersections of gender with class, ethnicity, and race. We also introduce students to some of the influential ideas on how gender works, theories by European philosophers like Freud and Foucault, as well as essays by feminist activists and post-modern writers on gender and sexuality.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Understand the ways in which gender is conceived and found significant in everyday life
  • Understand what gender studies is about, why it has developed and why it matters today
  • Develop a sense of the complexity and significance of a number of key cultural issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies
  • Understand how the writing of scholars like Freud, Foucault and others has been taken up and critically extended in gender studies.
  • Develop a practical sense of how to research a variety of texts in public circulation, how to evaluate their content and engage with it effectively.
  • Develop an understanding of the relationship between forms of knowledge and forms of everyday living. The topics covered will help the student to approach real-life situations, analyse them, and remedy problems when necessary.
  • Share information and debate ideas with peers. The material in this unit raises questions about everyday life, and by coming to grips with it, we expect that the student will have a stronger sense both of who they are and where they come from, and how others from very different backgrounds and situations view the world.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Quizzes 30% Weeks 2-12
Two summaries 20% Week 7
Essay 40% Week 13
Participation 10% throughout

Quizzes

Due: Weeks 2-12
Weighting: 30%

Weekly multiple choice quiz on the required reading and the lectures of weeks 2-12


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the ways in which gender is conceived and found significant in everyday life
  • Develop a sense of the complexity and significance of a number of key cultural issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies
  • Understand how the writing of scholars like Freud, Foucault and others has been taken up and critically extended in gender studies.

Two summaries

Due: Week 7
Weighting: 20%

This assessment exercise requires students to write a short precis (a summary in one's own words) of two readings, from the choice in the summary list. The point of this exercise is to learn to reproduce a concise but accurate account of the principal argument of an academic text. Students should identify and reproduce the significant points made by the author (using entirely their own forms of expression) rather than exploring their own opinions (which they should leave for tutorial discussion and the research essay)

The minimum number of words is 500 and the maximum without penalty is 750.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the ways in which gender is conceived and found significant in everyday life
  • Develop a sense of the complexity and significance of a number of key cultural issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies
  • Understand how the writing of scholars like Freud, Foucault and others has been taken up and critically extended in gender studies.
  • Develop a practical sense of how to research a variety of texts in public circulation, how to evaluate their content and engage with it effectively.

Essay

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 40%

Choose a question from those listed on iLearn. Write an analytical essay on the question selected.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the ways in which gender is conceived and found significant in everyday life
  • Understand what gender studies is about, why it has developed and why it matters today
  • Develop a sense of the complexity and significance of a number of key cultural issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies
  • Understand how the writing of scholars like Freud, Foucault and others has been taken up and critically extended in gender studies.
  • Develop a practical sense of how to research a variety of texts in public circulation, how to evaluate their content and engage with it effectively.
  • Develop an understanding of the relationship between forms of knowledge and forms of everyday living. The topics covered will help the student to approach real-life situations, analyse them, and remedy problems when necessary.

Participation

Due: throughout
Weighting: 10%

Peer discussion of unit material in tutorial groups and on the GEN210 iLearn site.

For internal students, the benchmark for a clear pass is full attendance and active participation in class discussions. Discussion items posted on the GEN210 iLearn site can improve the mark in participation. It can also make up for non-attendance (but is capped at a maximum of 3 missed tutorials). The quality as well as quantity of discussion is important especially for the higher grades.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the ways in which gender is conceived and found significant in everyday life
  • Understand what gender studies is about, why it has developed and why it matters today
  • Develop a sense of the complexity and significance of a number of key cultural issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies
  • Understand how the writing of scholars like Freud, Foucault and others has been taken up and critically extended in gender studies.
  • Develop a practical sense of how to research a variety of texts in public circulation, how to evaluate their content and engage with it effectively.
  • Develop an understanding of the relationship between forms of knowledge and forms of everyday living. The topics covered will help the student to approach real-life situations, analyse them, and remedy problems when necessary.
  • Share information and debate ideas with peers. The material in this unit raises questions about everyday life, and by coming to grips with it, we expect that the student will have a stronger sense both of who they are and where they come from, and how others from very different backgrounds and situations view the world.

Delivery and Resources

Delivery:

Day and Online. 

GEN210 comprises of one 2 hour Lecture and one 1 hour tutorial each week.

Technologies used and required

This unit has an online presence in iLearn (http://ilearn.mq.edu.au).  Students are required to have regular access to a computer and the internet. Mobile devices alone are not sufficient.

This unit will use Echo lecture recording (accessed via iLearn).

- For technical support go to: http://mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/informatics/help - For student quick guides on the use of iLearn go to: http://mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/guides.htm

Times and Locations for Lectures and Tutorials

For current updates, lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetables website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au

GEN210 Lecture: Monday 1-3pm  E7B T4 

GEN210 Tutorials: Monday or Thursday- please consult MQ Timetables for times and locations 

Required and recommended resources

Required readings can be accessed through e-reserve via iLearn. These can be read online, printed out by the student and/or downloaded.

FEEDBACK

Feedback and unit evaluation

The Faculty of Arts values student feedback and seeks to continually improve its teaching. At present, the Faculty collects student feedback in two ways:

1. Anonymous evaluation surveys which are disseminated at the completion of each unit. 2. Student feedback meetings which are held twice a year in the Faculty of Arts. These meetings are advertised on campus and all students are encouraged to attend.

Unit Schedule

2015 LECTURE PROGRAM 

The tutorials run one week after the lectures. Tutorials start in week two. The readings listed will be discussed in both lectures and tutorials. Required reading is directly addressed in tutorial discussion. The required readings will be accessible via iLearn.  Quiz questions will be set on both the required readings and the weekly lectures.

Attendance

Attendance at tutorials by internal students is required for a satisfactory participation mark. Attendance at lectures by internal students is also required. Missed lecture attendance can be made up by advising the convenor and listening to ECHO recordings on iLearn. More than three missed lectures without advising the convenor can result in failing the participation component. Students may listen to ECHO recordings in lieu of attending lectures only by registering from the start on eStudent as iLecture; or if changing attendance mode, by seeking permission of the convenor to change to iLecture. 

Week

Reading Gender in Everyday Life - Lecture topics

Week  1

Having gender (biology): the brain and  hormones 

(no tutorials this week)

Week  2

Having gender (sociobiology): rape; mothering

Week  3

Representing gender (socialisation & coding): advertising  

Week  4

Buying into gender (socialisation & consuming): shopping

Week  5

Playing out gender (socialisation & coupling): weddings

Week  6

Playing with gender (socialisation & queering): Barbie dolls 

Week  7

Constructing gender (socialisation & psychoanalysis): stalking and  jealousy

Week  8

Doing gender (cutting up the body; conforming/transforming): cosmetic surgery

Week  9

public holiday, no lecture or tutorials: study week

Week  10

Doing gender (cutting up the body; conforming/transforming): inter-sex and trans-sexual surgery 

Week  11

Doing gender (fighting back through the body): female body building 

Week  12

Performing gender (through the masquerade): make-up, masking and drag

Week  13

No lecture or tutorials this week

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Develop a practical sense of how to research a variety of texts in public circulation, how to evaluate their content and engage with it effectively.
  • Develop an understanding of the relationship between forms of knowledge and forms of everyday living. The topics covered will help the student to approach real-life situations, analyse them, and remedy problems when necessary.
  • Share information and debate ideas with peers. The material in this unit raises questions about everyday life, and by coming to grips with it, we expect that the student will have a stronger sense both of who they are and where they come from, and how others from very different backgrounds and situations view the world.

Assessment tasks

  • Two summaries
  • Essay
  • Participation

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Develop a practical sense of how to research a variety of texts in public circulation, how to evaluate their content and engage with it effectively.
  • Develop an understanding of the relationship between forms of knowledge and forms of everyday living. The topics covered will help the student to approach real-life situations, analyse them, and remedy problems when necessary.
  • Share information and debate ideas with peers. The material in this unit raises questions about everyday life, and by coming to grips with it, we expect that the student will have a stronger sense both of who they are and where they come from, and how others from very different backgrounds and situations view the world.

Assessment tasks

  • Two summaries
  • Essay
  • Participation

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understand what gender studies is about, why it has developed and why it matters today
  • Develop a sense of the complexity and significance of a number of key cultural issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies
  • Understand how the writing of scholars like Freud, Foucault and others has been taken up and critically extended in gender studies.
  • Share information and debate ideas with peers. The material in this unit raises questions about everyday life, and by coming to grips with it, we expect that the student will have a stronger sense both of who they are and where they come from, and how others from very different backgrounds and situations view the world.

Assessment tasks

  • Quizzes
  • Two summaries
  • Essay
  • Participation

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the ways in which gender is conceived and found significant in everyday life
  • Understand what gender studies is about, why it has developed and why it matters today
  • Develop a sense of the complexity and significance of a number of key cultural issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies
  • Understand how the writing of scholars like Freud, Foucault and others has been taken up and critically extended in gender studies.
  • Develop an understanding of the relationship between forms of knowledge and forms of everyday living. The topics covered will help the student to approach real-life situations, analyse them, and remedy problems when necessary.
  • Share information and debate ideas with peers. The material in this unit raises questions about everyday life, and by coming to grips with it, we expect that the student will have a stronger sense both of who they are and where they come from, and how others from very different backgrounds and situations view the world.

Assessment tasks

  • Quizzes
  • Two summaries
  • Essay
  • Participation

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the ways in which gender is conceived and found significant in everyday life
  • Understand what gender studies is about, why it has developed and why it matters today
  • Develop a sense of the complexity and significance of a number of key cultural issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies
  • Understand how the writing of scholars like Freud, Foucault and others has been taken up and critically extended in gender studies.
  • Develop a practical sense of how to research a variety of texts in public circulation, how to evaluate their content and engage with it effectively.
  • Develop an understanding of the relationship between forms of knowledge and forms of everyday living. The topics covered will help the student to approach real-life situations, analyse them, and remedy problems when necessary.
  • Share information and debate ideas with peers. The material in this unit raises questions about everyday life, and by coming to grips with it, we expect that the student will have a stronger sense both of who they are and where they come from, and how others from very different backgrounds and situations view the world.

Assessment tasks

  • Quizzes
  • Two summaries
  • Essay
  • Participation

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the ways in which gender is conceived and found significant in everyday life
  • Understand how the writing of scholars like Freud, Foucault and others has been taken up and critically extended in gender studies.
  • Develop a practical sense of how to research a variety of texts in public circulation, how to evaluate their content and engage with it effectively.
  • Develop an understanding of the relationship between forms of knowledge and forms of everyday living. The topics covered will help the student to approach real-life situations, analyse them, and remedy problems when necessary.
  • Share information and debate ideas with peers. The material in this unit raises questions about everyday life, and by coming to grips with it, we expect that the student will have a stronger sense both of who they are and where they come from, and how others from very different backgrounds and situations view the world.

Assessment tasks

  • Quizzes
  • Two summaries
  • Essay
  • Participation

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Develop a practical sense of how to research a variety of texts in public circulation, how to evaluate their content and engage with it effectively.
  • Develop an understanding of the relationship between forms of knowledge and forms of everyday living. The topics covered will help the student to approach real-life situations, analyse them, and remedy problems when necessary.
  • Share information and debate ideas with peers. The material in this unit raises questions about everyday life, and by coming to grips with it, we expect that the student will have a stronger sense both of who they are and where they come from, and how others from very different backgrounds and situations view the world.

Assessment tasks

  • Two summaries
  • Essay
  • Participation

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the ways in which gender is conceived and found significant in everyday life
  • Understand what gender studies is about, why it has developed and why it matters today
  • Develop a sense of the complexity and significance of a number of key cultural issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies
  • Develop an understanding of the relationship between forms of knowledge and forms of everyday living. The topics covered will help the student to approach real-life situations, analyse them, and remedy problems when necessary.
  • Share information and debate ideas with peers. The material in this unit raises questions about everyday life, and by coming to grips with it, we expect that the student will have a stronger sense both of who they are and where they come from, and how others from very different backgrounds and situations view the world.

Assessment tasks

  • Quizzes
  • Two summaries
  • Essay
  • Participation

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Understand what gender studies is about, why it has developed and why it matters today
  • Develop a sense of the complexity and significance of a number of key cultural issues and debates (local and global) in contemporary gender studies
  • Develop a practical sense of how to research a variety of texts in public circulation, how to evaluate their content and engage with it effectively.
  • Develop an understanding of the relationship between forms of knowledge and forms of everyday living. The topics covered will help the student to approach real-life situations, analyse them, and remedy problems when necessary.
  • Share information and debate ideas with peers. The material in this unit raises questions about everyday life, and by coming to grips with it, we expect that the student will have a stronger sense both of who they are and where they come from, and how others from very different backgrounds and situations view the world.

Assessment tasks

  • Quizzes
  • Two summaries
  • Essay
  • Participation

Changes from Previous Offering

The assessment has changed in 2015. The Quiz component has been reduced from being worth 40% to 30%. This change is made in order to reduce the fail rate. The Essay component has been decreased from being worth 50% (in its previous, two-part total) to 40%. The Summaries component (worth 20%) no longer needs to be accompanied by an essay plan. This latter change is made in order to reduce confusion (each component is now stand-alone), and increase flexibility.